Ken Gordon was a consultant surgeon to the Ipswich Hospital. He was born in Cambridge on 26 September 1924, the son of Charles Falconer Wedge Gordon, a businessman, and his wife Josephine, née Boys. He was educated at Southall County Grammar School and St Mary's, where he won the physiology prize an

Walter Henry Collins Scott was born in Melbourne, Australia, on 10 August 1924, the son of Walter C Scott and Florence (née Tonks). His father was a successful businessman and a veteran of the Gallipoli campaign in the first world war. He received his early education at Scotch College, Melbourne and

'Sol' Penn was born in Rokiskis, Lithuania, on 15 January 1930. His family emigrated to Johannesburg, where he attended Athlone High School and studied medicine at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. He completed a series of junior posts at the Baragwanath Hospital. He then went to Engl

Andrew Warren Eklund was born on 9 March 1918 in Ayr, Queensland, where his father Hugo Andreas Eklund was a civil engineer. His mother Kathleen Annie née Warren was the daughter of a gynaecologist. He was educated at the Brisbane Boys' College and Queensland University. After qualifying, he did jun

Alexander Walt was a former president of the American College of Surgeons. He was born in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1923 and went to school and university there. After qualifying in 1948 he completed his house jobs at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, before winning a Dominion studentship to

Jan Leembruggen was born in Queensland on 12 February 1920, the son of a Methodist Minister. He was educated at Invermay State School and Launceston High School in Tasmania and spent the final school years, from 1932-1938 at Wesley College, Melbourne where he gained its highest distinction. He then

Kenneth Sweetman qualified in Melbourne where he did junior posts. Later he worked as a surgical specialist in the Government Hospital in Tripoli, Libya and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Aden. His last position was Chief Medical Officer to the Shell Petroleum Company in Brunei. He retired to Hindhea

Robert Shannon was born on 10 May 1928 in Brisbane, Australia, the son of Reuben Samuel Shannon, a company manager, and Muriel Adeline, née Bone. He was educated at Brisbane Grammar School and Queensland University where he graduated MB BS in 1950, proceeded to the MS in 1955 and gained the Fellowsh

Keith Franklin Drysdale Sweetman was born in Perth, Western Australia, on 5 February 1914. His father was Joseph Franklin, a hardware merchant, who married Gladys Edith Drysdale. His great grandfather arrived in Western Australia as a civilian in 1834 from the United Kingdom but nothing is known of

Jack Stevens was born in Ingleton in Yorkshire and was proud of his West Riding roots. He won a scholarship from his school to Christ College, Cambridge, where he distinguished himself in the rowing club, as well as academically. He graduated MA, MB ChB in 1949, and spent two years as a National Ser

John Macdougall (known as 'John MacD' to his friends) was born on 18 February 1925 in Blackheath, South East London, where he attended Cherry Orchard Preparatory School, and subsequently the City of London School, where he excelled in both cricket and rugby. He then won an open scholarship to Corpus

Rasamay Ganguly was born in Barisal, Bengal, on 1 May 1918. His father Heramba Chandra Ganguly was an excise officer in the Bengal Civil Service. His mother was Hemanginee Mukherjee, daughter of a deputy magistrate in the same service. The second son in a family of six children, he was educated at t